Looking after your car: a basic car care guide

Cars are amazing, aren’t they? From big muscle cars such as the Camaro to huge Cadillacs, swish Lincolns and sporty Ferraris, there is a car for everyone to enjoy driving. There is just something about getting behind the wheel of your own auto and taking off down the road that is special. Not only do they have this magical quality, but they also come in handy for getting to work, ferrying the kids around, or heading out for that late-night McDonald’s!

However, your car will only perform as you expect and hold its value if you care for it. Looking after your auto will keep it safe to drive and ensure that it always looks its best. But what if you are a newbie when it comes to car maintenance? Luckily, there are some very simple things that anyone can do to help care for their car. The below sets out just what car maintenance tasks you should be doing on a regular basis.

Make sure to clean it

We all know that cars start to lose money the minute you drive them off the forecourt. What a lot of people forget is that not keeping them clean and well-maintained is a sure way to see their value plummet further. Our vehicles are subjected to a barrage of environmental factors each day from rain to hail, snow, salt and sunlight. If you do not care for your car by cleaning it at least once a month, then it will corrode in the long term and begin to rust.

Don’t waste time and money on visiting carwashes though as this is one activity that can be done to a high standard at home. The key is to use quality car detailing products when you do – Shine Armor car detailing products are loved by many for their great value and awesome results. Using top products such as these will give your car amazing shine and protection.

Under pressure

One simple yet important bit of basic car care to do is checking your tire pressure. Tires that are underinflated or overinflated can affect how the car handles, how it stops, and can also be dangerous when you travel at higher speeds. The forces exerted on them when whizzing along the freeway at 50 can sometimes be enough to make poorly inflated tires blow out. This is something to keep an eye on every few times you drive your car as it can change fast. Just make sure to check the pressure when your tires are cold for a more accurate reading, and always inflate to the pressure given in your owner’s manual.

Keep your windshield clean

Another bit of basic car care that anyone can (and should!) do is to simply clean the windshield. Naturally, the best way is to use the car washers that spray water over the windshield as you drive along. Many people forget to keep their washer bottle filled up though, which then means that they cannot do this. With this in mind, make sure to keep yours topped up with washer fluid. This may sound simple, but it will keep you safe by ensuring that you can actually see where you are going when on the road.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself

Much of basic car care comes down to regularly checking a few key things. Oil falls into this category and is something to keep tabs on. Running out of oil is very, very bad and will seize up your whole engine. Luckily, making sure that this does not happen is quite easy. For oil, you just need to find your dipstick in the engine bay, give it a wipe and then put it back in. After you pull it out again, have a look at the oil level on it and add any more if needed.

Keep your interior tidy

Many people who own cars allow them to get too messy and untidy inside. From clothes to old food wrappers to old food itself, this will all hit your car’s value and make it lapse into a worse condition. Of course, keeping your car clean is also less embarrassing when you have passengers and makes it more enjoyable to spend time in yourself. Get in the habit of regularly cleaning out your vehicle to care for it well.

Basic car care for beginners

The above tips will help to keep your auto in good shape and make it safe and fun to drive. Of course, anything more technical will need an experienced mechanic to look at for you. The above jobs though will certainly help you to keep your car looking smooth and are very easy to carry out. Best of all, they do not cost lots of money to do!